Wisdom of Pythagoras

Pythagoras was a Greek philosopher, mathematician, and founder of the Pythagorean Brotherhood, a religious and philosophical community that explored mathematics, science, and the nature of the universe. He was born on the island of Samos in Greece, in 570 BC, and is best known for his theorem about the relationship between the sides of a right triangle.

Pythagoras spent many years traveling and studying with different philosophers and mathematicians, including Thales, Anaximander, and Anaximenes. He eventually settled in Croton, a Greek colony in southern Italy, where he founded the Pythagorean Brotherhood.

The Pythagorean Brotherhood was a tight-knit community of scholars, who lived together and studied the secrets of the universe. They were devoted to the pursuit of knowledge and dedicated to uncovering the truth about the world and its workings. They believed that the universe was governed by mathematical principles and that everything, from the movement of the stars to the growth of plants, could be explained by mathematical equations.

Pythagoras is credited with the discovery of the Pythagorean theorem, which states that in a right triangle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse (the side opposite the right angle) is equal to the sum of the squares of the other two sides. This theorem is still widely used today in geometry, engineering, and construction.

In addition to his mathematical work, Pythagoras was also a respected philosopher. He believed in the immortality of the soul and the existence of a divine being who governed the universe. He also believed that the world was divided into two realms: the physical world of matter and the spirit world. He taught that the soul could achieve a state of spiritual enlightenment through study and contemplation, and that it was the duty of every person to strive towards this state.

Despite his many achievements, Pythagoras was not without his critics. Many of the people of Croton felt that his ideas were too advanced for them to understand and that he was teaching things that were dangerous to the state. Some accused him of being a heretic, and others felt that his beliefs threatened their way of life.

A legend states that a group of angry citizens stormed the Pythagorean Brotherhood's headquarters one day, where Pythagoras and his followers were meeting. The mob burned the building to the ground and many of the members of the Brotherhood were killed or imprisoned. Pythagoras was able to escape and fled to Croton.

For many years, Pythagoras lived as a wandering philosopher, traveling from place to place, spreading his teachings and continuing his studies. Despite the danger, he refused to abandon his beliefs and continued to work towards a deeper understanding of the universe.

Pythagoras died in the year 495 BC, at the age of 75. His ideas and teachings continued to influence future generations of philosophers, mathematicians, and scientists. Today, he is remembered as one of the greatest minds in history and his theorem is still widely used and studied.

Quotes by Pythagoras:

"A fool is known by his speech; and a wise man by silence."

"The soul of man is divided into three parts, intelligence, reason, and passion. Intelligence and passion are possessed by other animals, but reason by man alone."

"The oldest, shortest words - 'yes' and 'no' - are those which require the most thought."

"The highest goal of music is to connect one's soul to their Divine Nature, not entertainment"

"None can be free who is a slave to, and ruled by, his passions."

"Educate the children and it won't be necessary to punish the men."

"Learn to be silent. Let your quiet mind listen and absorb."

"Numbers have a way of taking a man by the hand and leading him down the path of reason."

"Know thyself and thou wilt know the universe."

"In anger we should refrain both from speech and action."

Copyright © Stephen Petullo, Scott Petullo